Disillusioned youths shun voter registration
Egerton University Njoro Campus students on September 23, 2021. The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has set up biometric equipment at the institution to enable students register as voters.
As the mass voter registration began in earnest, many of the youth who are targeted by the politicians to register in large numbers. However, some of the young people said they were not keen to vote in the August 2022 General Election.
Their arguments seemed to lead to political apathy since some of them do not even know their ward representatives.
"I don't follow politics because of the broken promises by politicians. The inequalities the politicians vowed to fight are still visible. For example, the youths who qualify for 30 per cent of tenders are languishing in poverty. Our MCA promised to help us get a tender to supply drinking water at the county government headquarters but that has remained an unfulfilled promise even as the next election looms in the next 10 months," said Joseph Rugut, 28, a resident of London ward in Nakuru West.
"When young people are disenfranchised or disengaged from political processes, a significant portion of the population has little or no voice or influence in decisions that affect group members' lives," said Mr Rugut.
He thinks his county government should make sure such tenders are equitably distributed to the youth.
Mr Alfred Kuria, 32, from Lanet Umoja ward says he will not vote in 2022.
"I feel disenfranchised and I rarely take part in public participation meetings because I believe my voice will never be heard," said Mr Kuria.
For Ms Angeline Auma, 29, a resident of Kivumbini slums in Nakuru East, her abstention in next year's General Election is "a political statement" on the sorry state of Kenya's politics.
She does not think any of the parties seeking to assume leadership are likely to bring the change she wants.
"The government keeps on talking of uplifting the poor living standards in the slums. What is happening in my neighbourhood, which has been reduced into a criminal den of young people, is a sad state of affairs that would not make me wake up in the morning and go and vote. Our slum is the headquarters of the terror gang popularly known as 'Confirm' because many young people are jobless and nobody seems to bother," lamented Ms Auma.
Many other young people, who work in risky quarries in Kaptembwo slums on the outskirts of Nakuru Town West, share her disaffection.
They said corruption scandals at the county and national government and lack of involvement of the youths in decision making are some of their concerns that would not make them elect political leaders next year.
"The Auditor-General every year releases his damning reports about massive misappropriation of public funds at the county and national government but the same officers and politicians continue to occupy the offices," said Mr Patrick Okoye, 35.
"Why should I vote and my voice is not going to be heard?" posed Mr Tom Kiarie, 24.
